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[Debs.]

We all know that using a mobile phone whilst driving is stupid, illegal and has a marked detrimental effect on attentiveness and reaction times (even when using as a 'handsfree')

.....so, why do I see Truckers, Cabbies, C.B`ers, Hammy-Radio`ers et al; happily gabbing away into their hand-mics and readjusting frequencies/channels etc. whilst on the move.

Why did the in-vehicle cell phone legislation not include them?....I can understand an exception for emergency-services/home-office radios, but not for everybody else and his dog.:-?

[CaptainZok]

Short answer, because they aren't telephones.

[Debs.]

Short answer, because they aren't telephones.

  quod erat demonstrandum

[CaptainZok]

If I remember correctly the law applies only to telephones and exempts two way radios. Hence Amigo can yap all day on his in cab cb but if he answers a call without using hands free kit he could be up before the beak.
Stupid ain't it.

[Kevin Wood]

I guess they can be less of a distraction. With a mobile radio you are able to hear one half of the conversation "hands-free" and only need to pick up the mic to speak. You can normally defer speaking for a few seconds if it's not safe to do so whereas with a mobile phone conversation it's assumed that you are giving your undivided attention. More often than not, that's just to transmit a simple acknowledgement rather than to explain to your boss why you've failed to meet your targets.

Having said that, it's easy enough to provide a hands-free setup. I guess they shied away from incriminating the emergency services, taxi companies, etc, and forcing them to upgrade their kit. You know what taxi drivers are like for spending money. There would have been a row.

.. of course you can still get prosecuted for use of a mobile radio if it is found to be causing you to drive dangerously.

Kevin

[the alarming man]

I agree with kevin they still can be done under the driving without due care and attention banner...thing is i see so many idiots still using their phones 

[Andy B]

I think all drivers should be locked in a sound proofed box so that none of their passengers can talk to them & for the kids to be left at home so that there's no possiblity of any distraction from anywhere.     

All radios should be banned too.  All windows, wipers, lights, heated seats etc should be removed too so that both hands should never need to be removed from the steering wheel. 

[Dishevelled Den]

.. of course you can still get prosecuted for use of a mobile radio if it is found to be causing you to drive dangerously.

Kevin

Or indeed any device or other object if it's deemed by the detecting officer to have caused the driver to have done so in a careless, dangerous or inattentive manner.

Although it is a strange anomaly I must admit.

[the alarming man]

I think all drivers should be locked in a sound proofed box so that none of their passengers can talk to them & for the kids to be left at home so that there's no possiblity of any distraction from anywhere.     

All radios should be banned too.  All windows, wipers, lights, heated seats etc should be removed too so that both hands should never need to be removed from the steering wheel. 

could be intresting to see 

[Debs.]

I think all drivers should be locked in a sound proofed box so that none of their passengers can talk to them & for the kids to be left at home so that there's no possiblity of any distraction from anywhere.     

All radios should be banned too.  All windows, wipers, lights, heated seats etc should be removed too so that both hands should never need to be removed from the steering wheel. 

 Having nearly been run down/into by cell-phone using drivers and on a number of occasions.
IMHO: I do think that particular legislation is well warranted.

[Andy B]

I think all drivers should be locked in a sound proofed box so that none of their passengers can talk to them & for the kids to be left at home so that there's no possiblity of any distraction from anywhere.     

All radios should be banned too.  All windows, wipers, lights, heated seats etc should be removed too so that both hands should never need to be removed from the steering wheel. 

 Having nearly been run down/into by cell mobile-phone using drivers and on a number of occasions.
IMHO: I do think that particular legislation is well warranted.

Since when was legislation drawn up by anyone who knew what they were doing .... gun laws, dangerous dogs etc......
I've been nearly driven off the road by a silly bint while she was cutting off the outside lane of a roundabout in her Range Rover while she was on the phone. When I balsted on the horn she was completely oblivious to the fact I was there. But how many times do you get cut up or have people pull out in front of you & they don't have the excuse of being on the phone? Some drivers are just crap with or without a phone in their hand. 

[Debs.]

Since when was legislation drawn up by anyone who knew what they were doing .... gun laws, dangerous dogs etc......
I've been nearly driven off the road by a silly bint while she was cutting off the outside lane of a roundabout in her Range Rover while she was on the phone. When I balsted on the horn she was completely oblivious to the fact I was there. But how many times do you get cut up or have people pull out in front of you & they don't have the excuse of being on the phone? Some drivers are just crap with or without a phone in their hand. 

  Very true!

[Dishevelled Den]

Since when was legislation drawn up by anyone who knew what they were doing .... gun laws, dangerous dogs etc......
I've been nearly driven off the road by a silly bint while she was cutting off the outside lane of a roundabout in her Range Rover while she was on the phone. When I balsted on the horn she was completely oblivious to the fact I was there. But how many times do you get cut up or have people pull out in front of you & they don't have the excuse of being on the phone? Some drivers are just crap with or without a phone in their hand. 

It is difficult to draft catch all legislation for a number of reasons Andy this is why there are so many amendments to the various prime Acts.

You point on the general standard exhibited by an increasing number of drivers is well made and I, for one, would like to see a lot more TrafPol on the roads being proactive in this regard.

I felt the legislation necessary because with the general standard falling the likelihood that it would fall even further given the all encompassing need for people to be in touch with others whatever they might be doing at the time was a very real concern.

[TheBoy]

I thought the law was for handheld electronic devices?

CBs etc are mounted, as are those stupid bloody gonks stuck across everyones' screens (satnavs), so perfectly legal. Probably wrongly.

[hoofing it]

I gave a car a boot on monday there whilst at Livingston a t*** a-hole on mobile never stopped at zebra crossing so he's now got a dent in his door needless to say he never stopped as there was a crowd of angry shoppers going to kill him